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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran: British sailors 'bargaining chips' |
| 2007-03-24 |
| An Iranian military official said Saturday afternoon that the 15 detained British sailors "confessed" to illegally entering Iranian waters. The sailors, taken at gunpoint Friday by Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Al Quds soldiers were captured intentionally and are to be used as bargaining chips to be used for the release of five Iranians who were arrested at the Iranian consul in Irbil, Iraq by US troops, an Iranian official told the daily paper Asharq al-Awsat on Saturday. In addition, a senior Iranian military official said Saturday that the decision to capture the soldiers was made during a March 18 emergency meeting of the High Council for Security following a report by the Al-Quds contingent commander, Kassem Suleimani, to the Iranian chief of the armed forces, Maj.Gen. Hassan Firouz Abadi. In the report, according to Asharq al-Awsat, Suleimani warned Abadi that Al Quds and Revolutionary Guards' operations had become transparent to US and British intelligence following the arrest of a senior Al Quds officer and four of his deputies in Irbil. According to the official, Iran was worried that its detained people would leak sensitive intelligence information. Analysis: Who knows who the waters belong to? Teheran embassies prepare escape plans Iran's semi-official news agency, Fars, reported that the 15 Britons have been transferred to the capital Teheran "to explain their aggressive action." There was no immediate official confirmation of the move. The agency said the 15 included "some women." In Britain, officials told the Press Association news agency that at least one woman was among the group. Navigational equipment on the seized British boats "show that they (sailors) were aware that they were operating in Iranian waters and Iranian border gurads fulfilled their responsibility," Fars quoted an unidentified official as saying. Meanwhile, officials from Western countries expressed concern Saturday that Iran would engage in similar acts in the future in order to discourage the United Nation's Security Council from imposing further sanctions, reported Army Radio. Iranian state television said, however, that this was "not the first time that British military personnel during the occupation of Iraq have entered illegally into Iran's territorial waters," the state TV quoted a foreign ministry official as saying. He was not identified by name. Earlier, the British government summoned the Iranian ambassador, Rasoul Movahedian, to the Foreign Office for a meeting, which a department spokesman described as "brisk but cordial." During the meeting, Sir Peter Ricketts, the senior civil servant in the department, demanded "the safe return of our personnel and equipment," the spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity under department rules. Britain's Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett demanded Teheran fully explain the detention, saying in a statement after Movahedian's summons that he "was left in no doubt that we want them back." Iran later claimed that the British soldiers and marines have been "detained by Iran's border authorities for further investigation ... of the blatant aggression into Iranian territorial waters," the official also said. Iran demanded an immediate explanation from London and "asked that this not happen again," the television said. The foreign ministry conveyed Iran's "strong protest" to the diplomat, who was said to be the British charge d'affaires in the absence of a London ambassador to Teheran. The diplomat was also asked to "provide answer as soon as possible" from London. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #39 http://thumbsnap.com/v/sWXCvuFP.jpg http://thumbsnap.com/v/wnq2xVbC.jpg http://thumbsnap.com/v/MDfYmR5J.jpg http://thumbsnap.com/v/89NEoOTL.jpg |
| Posted by: Chavilet the Bunyip4128 2007-03-24 16:49 |
| #38 Rantburgers will find this thread on BBC entertaining: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5882&&edition=1&ttl=20070325034624 No spine. America alone. Multicultural relativism wins. |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2007-03-24 22:44 |
| #37 Been wondering when that "Tonkin Gulf" moment would come, perhaps now? Please? Really, NOW!! |
| Posted by: TomAnon 2007-03-24 21:53 |
| #36 England has all ways been a great Friend to the US. This situation is definitly one that I hope will wake up the population Across the pond. I love Visiting London, Love the Clubs, the people, the resturants and the Football games. I hope the captured Sailors are returned. However, if they are put on trial and loose, they will be hung. The Arabs are not playing games. They do not care for the West, our freedoms, our religions nor our compassion. London is a prime target for a "Brief Case Nuke". I hope it never comes to such, but If the People Of England do not understand what "Evils" lurk in the belief in Islam, she will fall by the very sword that may "Behead" those great Saliors who risk their lives for the Union Jack and the Queen. |
| Posted by: USA 2007-03-24 21:50 |
| #35 JihadWatch has a report that Ahmanutjob is threatening to put the captives "on trial", calling them "insurgents" and saying they may be charged with espionage. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-03-24 21:43 |
| #34 From London Times: A senior Iraqi officer appeared to back Tehran’s claim that the British had entered Iranian waters. “We were informed by Iraqi fishermen after they had returned from sea that there were British gunboats in an area that is out of Iraqi control,” said Brigadier-General Hakim Jassim, who is in charge of Iraq’s territorial waters. “We don’t know why they were there.” But 'out of Iraqi control' does not necessarily mean 'out of Iraqi sovereign waters'. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-03-24 20:30 |
| #33 Do the have subs? Yes. Will they? Gee we dont know what happned to them. (Mk48 ADCAP doesnt leave much evidence) |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-03-24 19:56 |
| #32 I expect current full-court suppression of the press coverage to allow Blair and Co to negotiate and spin this before the public outrage begins |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-03-24 19:09 |
| #31 The Beeb has a current article up, but you have to work to find it :) Here |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-03-24 17:39 |
| #30 Drooling troll spill in aisle #19. |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2007-03-24 17:34 |
| #29 We're much more comfortable taking teeny, tiny baby steps against the enemy. Those "teeny, tiny baby steps" are "more comfortable" only because taking substantial strides is what can raise blisters and make your shoes pinch. The far greater discomfort of allowing our enemies to advance their evil agendas goes ignored as our leadership coddles its own self with the perks of place and power. Their luxury does not oblige them to share the daily risks of vest bombers, hijackings and car bombs that the great unwashed must endure. This preference for political ease is contagious in that it bequeaths undue respite to those who should be brought up short for their affronts to humanity. Instead, we are treated to mincing diplomats who idly prink about with canapes in hand whilst bewailing how uncooperative the tyrants are that they stolidly refuse to punish. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-03-24 17:33 |
| #28 BBC is silent on the issue. http://news.bbc.co.uk/ no hostage report. |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2007-03-24 17:33 |
| #27 Interesting observation, MM. EUReferendum also has nothing beyond its initial, pre-confirmation flash report. The Brits should bet our before they hurt themselves as much as Israel did in Lebanon. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-03-24 17:27 |
| #26 The British broadsheets+broadcast media are giving the matter decent coverage. Blighty's Conservatives and Libertarians have gone silent. |
| Posted by: mrp 2007-03-24 17:25 |
| #25 map The Guardian seems to think it wasn't the open ocean, but the Shatt al Arab Waterway |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-03-24 17:22 |
| #24 Also consider, over at Samizdata, where the depradations of the British state are decried around the clock, Zip Zero Nada about this. I'll bet the kidnapping is being ignored in the british media... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-03-24 17:15 |
| #23 As Joe Mendiola might paraphrase Winston Churchill: Brit Weakness > The Middle of The Beginning of The End... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-03-24 17:06 |
| #22 How the he11 would the sailors know where they were? They're just going along for the ride. Now if they got hold of a navigator, first officer, or a captain, maybe I'd believe it. But the rest could be 100 miles off course and they would not know the difference. Time to go pound some sand into somebody's a$$. |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-03-24 17:05 |
| #21 Why do they still have submarines? Because the Western nations no longer have the balls to actually make WAR against a determined enemy. We're much more comfortable taking teeny, tiny baby steps against the enemy. Pfeh. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2007-03-24 17:05 |
| #20 Let's get straight to the point. Iran has submarines? That is, they still have submarines. Why? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-03-24 16:57 |
#19
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| Posted by: Chavilet the Bunyip4128 2007-03-24 16:49 |
| #18 Bad behavior is best extinguished by immediate bad consequences. Well put, Darrell, and something long, long overdue. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-03-24 16:49 |
| #17 We should strike at their closest allies. Seize 500 media beasts and hold them until the sailors are released. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2007-03-24 16:40 |
| #16 Step 1: Naval *AND* air blockade. No one gets in, no one gets out. Step 2: Knock down rail bridges between Iran and Russia. Step 3: Destroy sewage treatment plants. Step 4: Destroy water treatment plants. Step 5: Destroy power distribution (not generation) centers. Step 6: Destroy power generation stations. Step 7: Destroy POL storage. Step 8: Destroy oil distribution junctions. Step 9: Destroy oil extraction centers. Do one step each week. Let them know that as soon as the prisoners are returned, we'll stop. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2007-03-24 16:37 |
| #15 Ok, cave to the fascist criminals and their media backers and give back the captured agitators. Then, once the Brits are safely home, sink the entire Iranian navy. |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2007-03-24 16:33 |
| #14 AE - I think you're right - This is a brilliant move on their part to get their 5 boys back - If the US tries to play hard ball and not negotiate, we alienate the only allies we have left. |
| Posted by: Geoffro 2007-03-24 16:29 |
| #13 I'm good with that SteveS. It also keeps the mullahs in place if there's no fuel to get the hell out |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-03-24 16:05 |
| #12 Y'all are such excitable boys. Do the naval blockade first. Draw down the gasoline stores. Make lots of unhappy citizens and no incoming petrodollars. The Brits may not have the naval assets in theater to do this but we do. I'm willing to throw some of my hard-earned tax dollars into the pool. Us Crusaders gotta stick together! Sun Tzu sez you can always blow stuff up later. And no, I'm not suggesting anyone torpedo the CdeG as a practical joke. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2007-03-24 16:02 |
| #11 I'm with you on this one, Zenster. Bad behavior is best extinguished by immediate bad consequences. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2007-03-24 15:52 |
| #10 Iran: British sailors 'bargaining chips' I say give them more than they bargained for. Lots more. The Iranians will keep escalating until they are hammered, or the entire world rolls over for them. Word, OP. Start atritting Iranian assets, NOW! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-03-24 15:33 |
| #9 Flood the zone. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-03-24 15:11 |
| #8 Look for first class tickets for five Iranian |
| Posted by: Alistaire Elmolurt6632 2007-03-24 15:10 |
| #7 We've gone from casus belli to weak bellies thanks to unanswered casi belli. A number of targets in Iran should already have been destroyed in the last 24 hours. For the sake of peace. |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2007-03-24 15:07 |
| #6 The cassus belli bag be overflowin. |
| Posted by: Nero Shuper3237 2007-03-24 14:53 |
| #5 If I were Britain, I wouldn't be talking. I would be sending every nuke submarine I had into waters adjacent to Iran, then I would deliver an ultimatum - either my sailors were returned IMMEDIATELY and UNHARMED, or several Iranian cities won't need electricity, ever again. I'd give them 24 hours to make a decision. Of course, that would mean Britain had a couple of people of Nelson's philosophy, and had returned to Disraeli's foreign policy, but in the end, it would be better for the entire world. People would understand they can't pull this kind of sh$$ on any nation and get away with it. The Iranians will keep escalating until they are hammered, or the entire world rolls over for them. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-03-24 14:51 |
| #4 I just saw Fox news footage of British soldiers walking with their hands behind their heads Makin em do the purp walk; arrested for being infidel. Boy does Britain look weak. Come on Tony have your troops mass the border and invite your American allies to join. (It's time you asked for a real favor instead of asking us to kiss up the UN). Time to draw a line in the sand, and if it's crossed, turn the sand to glass. |
| Posted by: regular joe 2007-03-24 14:50 |
| #3 I just saw Fox news footage of British soldiers walking with their hands behind their heads - are you fuc*in' kidding me? The Brits are putting up with this crap?? |
| Posted by: cajunbelle 2007-03-24 14:24 |
| #2 I would raise then call. |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2007-03-24 14:17 |
| #1 I certainly hope that the CIA is able to sneak some good PSYOPS about this into the British press. It could start by suggesting that the sailors are being tortured, then move on to the other brutalities committed by the regime both to their own people and foreigners; and in their own territory and in other countries. It would be a slow and gradual process to both convince the Brits that they need a better military, and to take a stronger posture against Iran. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-03-24 13:29 |